Groove-cutting attachment for sewing-machines



(N0 Mode1 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. W. MERRICK.- GROOVE CUTTING ATTACHMENT FCR SEWING MACHINES. No. 547,961. Patented Oct. 15, 1895.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. w. NIP-BRICK. GROOVE CUTTING ATTACHMENT-FOR SEWING MAGHINES.

No. 547,961. Patented Oct. 15, 1895.

ANDREW BGRAHAM. PHOTO-UFHQWASHINGI'UNJYC.

U ITED 1 STATES- PATENT Orr-res,

FRANK W. MERRICK, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

GROOVE-CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 547,961, dated October 15, 1895.

Application filed January 14, 1895. Serial No. 534,774. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. MERRIGK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusettahave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Groove-Cutting Attachments forSewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My prior patent, granted January 31, 1893, No. 490,855, presents a sewing-machine having a work-supporting post that is pivoted at the lower end thereof to the frame of the ma chine, so as to enable it to be swung down and to one side out of the way when desired.

My present invention has for its main object to provide a groove-cutting attachment that is especially adapted for application to a work-supporting post, which is pivoted as in the said patent, although it is to be understood that I do not limit my invention to use in such connection.

The invention consists in,,certain novel and improved features of construction and combination, all as hereinafter will be made clearly to appear, and first will be described fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, after which the distinguishing and characteristic features thereof will be more particularly pointed out and distinctly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

The invention is simple and will be understood readily from the following description and accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 of the drawings isa view in side elevation, partly sectional, of part of a sewing-machine having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation, partly sectional, from the left-hand side in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the groove-cutter detached.

1 in the drawings is part of the fixed bed or frame of a sewing-machine; 2 is the rockershaft for actuating the east-off; 21 is the castoff operated from said shaft in the usual manner; 22 is theneedle-bar; 23 is the needle, and 3 is the work-supporting post, the said post being pivoted at its lower end to the said fixed bed or frame on centers at 4, and being provided with suitable locking devices 5,wh ereby to hold it in normal working position. All the foregoing parts and features are or may be as heretofore, and are Well-known in practice, and may be connected and arranged in any approved manner. At 6 is the throat-plate, mounted on the upper end of the work-supporting post, it having on its upper face, at the sides of the slot 7, in which plays the groovecutter about to be described, the serrations 8, which prevent the leather from moving under the action of the cutter as the latter makes its stroke in cutting.

9 is the groove-cutter, it being carried by the upper end of an upwardly-extending arm 10, fixed upon one end of a rock-shaft. 11. The said rock-shaft has a bearing or bearings at 12 in the portion 13, cast with the work-supporting post 3, and at its other end it has fixed thereon the depending arm 14. The said rock -shaft and its arms I term for convenience a rocker. Aspring 15 hasanumber of coils which surround the outer end of the bearing portion 13, one end of the said spring being in engagement with a pin 16, projecting from the said portion 13, and the other end being in engagement with a lug 17', projecting from arm 14:. The lower end of arm 14: extends approximately down to 'a point in line with the center on which the work-supporting post turns, and is formed with acam-surface 18, that is acted against by a tappet constituted by a pin or roller19, carried by the free end of an arm 20 on the cast-off rocker-shaft 2. The portion 181 of the said cam'surface 18 is shaped, as shown, to be concentric with the'cast-ofi rocker-shaft,while the pin or roller 19 is resting against the same, so that while the said pin or roller is passing either up or down along such portion no movement is communicated to the cutter. The lower portion 182 of the said cam-surface is shaped so that when the pin or roller touches the same in its descent it will press the arm let in a direction to move the cutter to form a groove in the leather resting upon the throat-plate. As the pin or roller rises the spring 15 moves the parts reversely until the pin or roller reaches the portion 181 of the cam-surface.

The lower end of the arm 10 is formed with an eye or socket 211 to fit upon the rock-shaft 11, the said eye or socket being threaded for the reception of the two set-screws 215 215. The end of the rock-shaft 11 is slabbed off .at 216 216 to form oppositely-located shoulders 217 217. The inner ends of the set-screws215 215 take bearing against the said shoulders, and thereby serve to secure the arm 10 in the desired position of adjustment circumferentially of therock-shaft. Thereby the normal position of the groove-cutter may be regulated, as desired. The upper end of the said arm is formed with a split socket 231 to receive the shank or stem of the groove-cutter 9, the said socket being tightened upon the groove-cutter by means of a screw 24, working in cars at the free ends of the opposite arms of the socket 231. The groove-cutter may be adjusted readilyin the direction of its length in the said socket.

The groove-cutter 9 consists of a simple rod, preferably having its upper end tapered off somewhat, as shown, the said rod being grooved, as at 26, on one side by the use of a suitable milling cutter, the groove being shaped as shown to leave an overhanging edge 27 at its upper end, which is ground off on its top so as to sharpen and fit it for cutting purposes.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of agroove-cutter, and a rocker carrying the same, with the fixed bed or frame of the machine, a work-supporting post pivotally connected with said bed or frame and capable of being swung down out of the way, said post having said rocker mounted thereon and moving therewith, and a shaft mounted in the fixed bed or frame and carrying a tappet which engages with the rocker to actuate the same and the groove' cutter, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the work-support ing post, and a throat-plate carried thereby, of a groove cutter, an arm by which the groove-cutter is held, a rock-shaft jonrnaled in said post and on which said arm is fixed, a

second arm fixed on said rock-shaft, asecond rock-shaft, an arm on said second rock-shaft having a tappet which acts on the second arm to move the same in one direction, and a spring acting oppositely to the said tappet', substantially as described.

3. The combination with a groovecutter, an arm by which the groove-cutter is held, a rock-shaft on which said arm is fixed, and a second arm fixed on said rock-shaft, of a shaft having a tappet which acts on the said second arm to move the same in one direction, a spring acting oppositely to the said tappet, a fixed bed or frame on which the tappet-shaft has bearing, and a Work-supporting post on which said rock-shaft has bearing, said post being pivoted to the fixed bed or frame and the tappet being arranged to engage with the second arm aforesaid approximately in line with the pivots of the post, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the groove-cutter, of an arm carrying the groove'cuttcr and provided with an eye or socket, a rock-shaft on one end of which said eye or socket is fitted and having oppositely located shoulders at such end, set screws passing through the eye or socket and taking bearing against such shoulder, whereby to secure the arm in the desired position of adjustment circumferentially of the rock-shaft, a second arm on said shaft, and means acting upon said second arm to vibrate the rock-shaft and groove-cutter, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK W. MERRICK. Vitnesses:

CHAs. F. RANDALL, RoB'r. WALLACE. 

